Nine Mile Point Colliery

Nine Mile Point Colliery

Nine Mile Point Colliery was a coal mine on the eastern fringe of Rogerstone, near Newport, Wales, that operated from the early 20th century until the late 20th century. The pit was part of the industrial expansion that linked South Wales coalfields with ports such as Cardiff Docks and Barry Docks, connecting labor movements like the Miners' Federation of Great Britain and later the National Union of Mineworkers to national politics. Its history intersects with companies including the Ocean Coal Company and institutions such as the National Coal Board, and events that shaped British energy policy including debates in the House of Commons and actions by the British Coal Corporation.

History

The colliery was developed during the period of rapid expansion in the South Wales Coalfield alongside neighboring pits like Newbridge Colliery, Wyllie Colliery, and Black Vein Colliery. Early investment involved industrialists and financiers who also backed infrastructure projects such as the Great Western Railway and the Bute Docks expansion at Cardiff Docks. During World War I and World War II the mine contributed to wartime coal production alongside facilities managed by the Ministry of Fuel and Power and later came under the control of the National Coal Board after nationalization in 1947. The colliery's timeline ran parallel to national events including the 1926 United Kingdom general strike, the UK miners' strikes, and the policy shifts of the Conservative Party (UK) governments of the 1980s. Ownership and corporate governance shifted from private firms to state entities such as the National Coal Board and successor bodies including the British Coal Corporation.

Location and Geology

Situated in the eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield, the site lay within the county boroughs governed by bodies like Monmouthshire County Council and later Torfaen County Borough Council for planning matters. Geologically it exploited seams typical of the basin such as the Bute Seam and the Steam Coal Seam that extend towards Carmarthenshire and Glamorgan. The stratigraphy relates to Carboniferous formations studied by geologists affiliated with institutions including the British Geological Survey, University of Oxford, and University of Bristol. Access and transport were facilitated by branch lines connected to the Great Western Railway network and to coastal ports including Newport Docks and Barry Docks, enhancing exports to markets serviced by shipping firms such as P&O and Canadian Pacific Railway interests.

Operations and Production

The colliery employed traditional deep-mining methods consistent with contemporaneous operations at places like Ebbw Vale Steelworks and Rhymney Steelworks, using winding gear similar to that found at Big Pit National Coal Museum. Coal from the pit fed industries including steelmaking at Port Talbot Steelworks and power stations such as Coryton Power Station and Uskmouth Power Station. Production figures were recorded alongside national statistics compiled by the Coal Commission and debated in contexts including reports by the Board of Trade and inquiries led by figures from the Ministry of Power. Mechanization introduced apparatus from manufacturers like British Coal Utilisation Research Association partners and equipment suppliers including Coltman Engineering and Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns-era firms, while drainage and ventilation reflected standards influenced by the Coal Mines Act 1911 and later regulations shaped in Westminster.

Labor and Safety Incidents

Labor relations at the colliery paralleled disputes across pits represented by the Miners' Federation of Great Britain and later by the National Union of Mineworkers, with participation in national actions exemplified during the 1926 general strike and the miners' actions of the 1970s. Safety incidents prompted investigations involving inspectors from the HM Inspectorate of Mines and occasionally legal scrutiny by the Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines. Recorded incidents reference similar tragedies at locations such as Senghenydd Colliery Disaster and Gresford Colliery that influenced safety reforms. Postwar health concerns linked to organizations like the Medical Research Council and campaigns by medical figures at institutions such as the University of Wales College of Medicine contributed to compensation debates handled in forums including the House of Lords and industrial tribunals.

Closure and Redevelopment

Following the rationalization of coal under policies advanced by administrations including those of Margaret Thatcher and debates in the House of Commons, the colliery ceased operations during the wave of closures affecting the South Wales Coalfield in the late 20th century, concurrent with shutdowns at pits such as Tower Colliery and Mardy Colliery. After closure, land use transitioned through planning processes overseen by Monmouthshire County Council and development agencies like Welsh Development Agency and later Welsh Government initiatives. Redevelopment projects involved environmental remediation guided by standards from the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and brownfield regeneration strategies modeled on schemes at Cardiff Bay and Ebbw Vale linking to funding sources including the European Regional Development Fund and bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund. Community heritage efforts connected with museums like the Big Pit National Coal Museum preserved artifacts and oral histories involving local institutions such as Newport Museum and archival collections at the National Library of Wales.

Category:Coal mines in Wales Category:History of Newport, Wales